Stain guard

ABSTRACT

A stain guard prevents stain or damage to a garment or an article of clothing. The stain guard includes a thin sheet having a predetermined size and shape configured to be worn over the garment or the article of clothing. The stain guard includes adhesives applied to selected areas on one side of the thin sheet. One or more peel-off strips or patches cover the adhesives. The peel-off strips or patches are removed to expose the adhesives to attach the stain guard to the garment or the article of clothing. 
     The stain guard can be made from a plastic, a cellophane or other suitable materials. The stain guard can be made into various sizes to fit individuals having different sizes. The stain guard can be dispensed from a roll of perforated stain guards so that individual pieces can be torn from the perforated roll for use. The stain guard can also be dispensed from a box of stain guards.

This invention relates generally to a stain guard, and more particularlyto a stain guard to prevent stain or damage to a garment or an articleof clothing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Napkins and bibs are often used to protect a garment or an article ofclothing from stain or damage due to spilled or dripped food during mealtime. Napkins are typically stuffed in a shirt while bibs are typicallytied around the neck to protect the shirt from stain. Napkins and bibscan also be used to protect a garment or an article of clothing in alaboratory or in an operating room.

However, napkins and bibs are not discreet as they must be stuffed in ashirt or tied around the neck. Also, napkins and bibs do not matchformal outfits such as suits or dresses. Also, napkins and bibs are notcomfortable to wear as they are stuffed in a shirt or tied around theneck. Also, napkins and bibs are designed to prevent damage or stain toa limited area of a garment or an article or clothing, and they cannotbe conveniently moved or shifted to prevent stain or damage to otherareas of a garment or an article of clothing.

Accordingly, there is a need for an alternative to napkins and bibs thatdoes not have the foregoing disadvantages. There is a need for a stainguard to prevent stain or damage to a garment or an article of clothing.There is a need for a stain guard that is discreet and comfortable.There is a need for a stain guard that can be worn with formal outfitssuch as suits or dresses. There is a need for a stain guard that can bemoved or shifted to prevent stain or damage to various selected areas ofa garment or an article of clothing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofthe invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction withthe appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention,there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presentlypreferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is notlimited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 illustrates a stain guard or shield in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows peel-off strips being removed from a stain guard.

FIG. 3 shows the stain guard being worn over a garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various features of the stain guard will now be described. Throughoutthe description, implementation-specific details of the stain guard willbe given. These details are provided to illustrate the preferredembodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of theinvention. The scope of the invention is set in the claims section.

FIG. 1 illustrates a stain guard or shield 100 in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention. The stain guard 100 is made from a thinsheet of plastic, cellophane or other suitable material. The stain guard100 is designed to be worn over a garment or an article of clothingduring meal time. The stain guard 100 prevents staining or damage to agarment or an article of clothing caused by dripped, splashed or spilledfood. The stain guard 100 can also be worn at work or at laboratories toprotect a garment or an article of clothing from oil, chemicals andother liquids.

In one embodiment, adhesive are applied to one side of the sheet toallow the sheet to stick to a garment or an article of clothing. In oneembodiment, two or more strips 104 of a clear adhesive are applied toone side of the sheet. The adhesive is covered with one or more peel-offstrips or patches 108. The peel-off strips or patches 108 are removed toexpose the adhesive.

In one embodiment, the stain guard 100 is transparent, which makes itless conspicuous than a typical bib or napkin, and thus can be worn overa dress or a suit. The stain guard 100 is versatile as it protects agarment or an article of clothing in a restaurant, in an airplane, in ahospital, and in many other places. The stain guard 100 can be easilymoved or shifted to prevent stain or damage to various selected areas ofa garment or an article of clothing. The stain guard 100 can be carriedin a bag or in a purse. In one embodiment, the stain guard 100 isdisposable, i.e., the stain guard 100 is disposed after use.

In one embodiment, the stain guard 100 has a rectangular shape. Thestain guard 100 can have other shapes suitable to be worn over a garmentor an article of clothing. The stain guard 100 can be made into varioussizes to fit individuals with different size.

In one embodiment, the stain guard 100 is dispensed from a perforatedroll. The perforated roll can be retained by a roll dispenser. As willbe appreciated, the perforations can be spaced according to thepredetermined size of the stain guard 100. The stain guard 100 can bedispensed from a box such as a tissue box.

The stain guard 100 is suitable for garment protection during formal andinformal dining, sports event dining, in-flight dining, or at-workdining. Food service establishments such as restaurants and fast foodchains may provide the stain guard to customers as a courtesy. The stainguard 100 can also be used by medical personnel in operating rooms andby patients during meal time. Other uses of the stain guard 100 will berecognized by those skilled in the art.

FIG. 2 shows the peel-off strips being removed from a stain guard toexpose the adhesives. FIG. 3 shows the stain guard being worn over agarment.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could bemade to the embodiments described above without departing from the broadinventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that thisinvention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but itis intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A stain guard to prevent stain or damage to a garment or an articleof clothing, comprising: a thin sheet having a predetermined size andshape configured to be worn over the garment or article of clothing;adhesive applied to selected areas on one side of the thin sheet; andone or more peel-off strips or patches placed to cover the adhesive, thepeel-off strips or patches configured to be removed to expose theadhesive on the thin sheet, wherein the peel-off strips or patches areremoved from the thin sheet to attach the thin sheet to the garment orthe article of clothing.
 2. The stain guard of claim 1, wherein the thinsheet is made from a plastic material.
 3. The stain guard of claim 1,wherein the thin sheet is made from a transparent plastic material. 4.The stain guard of claim 1, wherein the thin sheet is made from acellophane material.
 5. The stain guard of claim 1, wherein the thinsheet has a rectangular shape.
 6. The stain guard of claim 1, whereinthe thin sheet has a predetermined length and width.
 7. The stain guardof claim 1, further comprising a perforation at one edge of the thinsheet to tear the stain guard from a perforated roll of stain guard. 8.A perforated roll of stain guard to prevent stain or damage to a garmentor an article of clothing, comprising: a roll dispenser configured toretain the perforated roll of stain guard, wherein the stain guardcomprising: a thin sheet having a predetermined size and shapeconfigured to be worn over the garment or article of clothing; aperforated edge to tear the stain guard from the roll; adhesive appliedto selected areas on one side of the thin sheet; one or more peel-offstrips or patches placed to cover the adhesive, the peel-off strips orpatches configured to be removed to expose the adhesive on the thinsheet, wherein the peel-off strips or patches are removed from the thinsheet to attach the thin sheet to the garment or the article ofclothing.
 9. The perforated roll of stain guard of claim 8, wherein thethin sheet is made from a plastic material.
 10. The perforated roll ofstain guard of claim 8, wherein the thin sheet is made from atransparent plastic material.
 11. The perforated roll of stain guard ofclaim 8, wherein the thin sheet is made from a cellophane material. 12.The perforated roll of stain guard of claim 8, wherein the thin sheethas a rectangular shape.
 13. The perforated roll of stain guard of claim8, wherein the thin sheet has a predetermined length and width.
 14. Amethod of using a stain guard to prevent stain or damage to a garment oran article of clothing, the method comprising the steps of: removing oneor more peel-off strips or patches from the stain guard to exposeadhesives on the stain guard; placing the stain guard over the garmentor the article and attaching the stain guard to the garment or thearticle, wherein the stain guard comprises: a thin sheet having apredetermined size and shape configured to be worn over the garment orthe article of clothing; the adhesive applied to selected areas on oneside of the thin sheet; and the peel-off strips or patches placed tocover the adhesive, the peel-off strips or patches configured to beremoved to expose the adhesive on the thin sheet.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the thin sheet is made from a plastic material. 16.The method of claim 14, wherein the thin sheet is made from atransparent plastic material.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein thethin sheet is made from a cellophane material.
 18. The method of claim14, wherein the thin sheet has a rectangular shape.
 19. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the thin sheet has a predetermined length and width.20. The method of claim 14, wherein the thin sheet further comprises aperforation at one edge of the thin sheet to tear the stain guard from aperforated roll of stain guard.